The iterative design process isn’t always the exciting choice. Sometimes it feels slower, safer, less bold. But Dimitris Orfanos learned the hard way what happens when you skip it. Starting at 16 with Photoshop, moving through video editing, and eventually finding his place in web design and UI/UX during the COVID era, he built his career through consistency and daily learning.
In this interview, he shares what keeps him going, why visual impact comes first, and the e-commerce project that changed how he thinks about change itself.
"Improvements are often better introduced step by step rather than through drastic shifts."
From Photoshop at 16 to UI/UX – a self-taught path
Dimitris didn’t start with a plan. He started with Photoshop at 16, experimenting in an amateur way. That led to video editing, and during the COVID era he invested in web design and UI/UX courses – and got hooked. From that point on, he kept learning every day while working a day job, actively sending his CV to advertising and digital agencies in Thessaloniki.
What continues to inspire him today is the constant evolution of the field. Nothing ever stays still. He enjoys solving problems by combining functionality with his own aesthetic and the client’s vision – aiming for something that feels both meaningful and visually strong.
What success in design actually feels like
For Dimitris, success has two sides. One is personal: doing something every day that fulfills you and helps you grow. Being in an environment or team that improves your daily experience rather than draining it.
The other is professional: every client or collaborator feels satisfied with the outcome, and you feel that they’ve received real value from your work. Both matter. Neither is enough without the other.
Balancing client needs with project direction
The most challenging part of Dimitris’s creative process is finding the balance between what the client wants and what is actually right for the project – while still staying true to its direction.
Another difficulty, and also a learning experience, is when clients want to reinvent the wheel. Unconventional or risky approaches that don’t align with best practices can pull a project off course – even when the client is confident they’re right.
Why visual impact usually comes first
When it comes to grabbing attention, Dimitris lands on visual impact. Whether the goal is functionality or something fresh and experimental, strong visual presence is often what captures attention first. The rest follows once the eye is already engaged.
The e-commerce redesign that ended in one day
The most memorable lesson in Dimitris’s iterative design process came from a redesign project for an e-commerce store. He introduced very fresh and radical ideas to an already outdated online shop. After the first presentation, he was taken off the project the next day.
The lesson was clear: making too many changes – especially in systems that already work, and even more so when they belong to profitable businesses – is risky. The iterative design process exists for exactly this reason. Improvements land better when introduced step by step rather than through drastic shifts.
"Even if you are right and have strong arguments, taking too bold a leap can backfire and put you in a vulnerable position."
How AI is bringing roles closer together
The future change Dimitris is most excited about is AI – already part of his daily workflow, whether for ideas or early-stage prototypes. He believes it will significantly change how designers approach projects in terms of time and quality.
More interestingly, he sees AI bringing different roles closer together – developers, designers, art directors – creating more collaborative and integrated workflows. Less separation, more overlap.
Stop over-engineering – start sharing
If Dimitris could go back, he’d tell himself one thing: stop over-engineering projects, files, and assets. Everything evolves quickly, and constant adaptation is required. Instead of spending unnecessary time perfecting every detail too early, focus on efficiency, build a strong professional presence, and share work consistently. Visibility compounds in ways that perfect files never do.
About the designer
Dimitris Orfanos is a self-taught web and UI/UX designer based in Thessaloniki, Greece. He came up through advertising and digital agencies, building his skills through daily practice and a curiosity that hasn’t slowed down since he first opened Photoshop at 16. His work is shaped by a belief in the iterative design process – that meaningful change happens gradually, not all at once.
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